Ski Resort Response to COVID-19

[cdskier]

Had to take my son to the local urgent care for a COVID test for him to go to college. In front of us was a guy who had just returned from RI from a business trip whose employer told him he needed to get a test to return to work. When the nurse informed him that he needed to immediately go home and quarantine for the next 2 weeks I thought he would hit the ceiling. I guess the employer didn't tell him that would be the case.

Most people have no clue about restrictions or rules and don't care until something like that happens. Ignorance and selfishness abound!

I'm not quite sure I understand why she told him that. RI isn't on NY's list of restricted states.

 

[thetrailboss]

Aspen is struggling with what to do if there is a ski season. I don't know how you limit access without pissing off people....

https://unofficialnetworks.com/2020...3U79ijejROPF1DtggmOb2T9VSwN_XbZksjzoTxw7Q28kM

 

[EPB]

Aspen is struggling with what to do if there is a ski season. I don't know how you limit access without pissing off people....

https://unofficialnetworks.com/2020...3U79ijejROPF1DtggmOb2T9VSwN_XbZksjzoTxw7Q28kM

I'm expecting to think (or say), "What did you expect?", "If you don't like X policy/decision, then what would you suggest?" etc. A LOT this winter. A little understanding would go a long way, but I fear a vocal minority will be insufferable on this board come ski season.

Hopefully, I'm wrong.

 

[Edd]

I'm expecting to think (or say), "What did you expect?", "If you don't like X policy/decision, then what would you suggest?" etc. A LOT this winter. A little understanding would go a long way, but I fear a vocal minority will be insufferable on this board come ski season.

Hopefully, I'm wrong.

Emphasis on “minority”, I’d think. Members here will be vastly more understanding than the masses.

 

[EPB]

Emphasis on “minority”, I’d think. Members here will be vastly more understanding than the masses.

Agreed - I expect you'll be sitting pretty skiing midweek. I think this year, I might be able to convince the wife to duck out midweek a few more times than normal myself. We'll see.

 

[thetrailboss]

Emphasis on “minority”, I’d think. Members here will be vastly more understanding than the masses.

Exactly. Most of the regulars, like me, are understanding....to a point.

I think that Jackson Hole and Aspen are a couple places where the sense of entitlement will be in full force.

And I certainly am glad that I am not the person making the decision. It will be hard to balance out passholders vs. folks who pay a lot to visit for a weekend. How do you balance it out? The only thing going for Aspen is that they have four areas to spread out folks. But I imagine some locals will still be pissed.

 

[dlague]

colorado-ski-industry-leaders-offer-hints-of-what-winter-during-covid-19-could-look-like


https://www.outtherecolorado.com/ne...html?utm_source=OneSignalPush&utm_medium=push

 

[BenedictGomez]

I have to think this is all going to put a hurting on the casual walk-up crowd & the "goes skiing twice a year crowd" (some combo of Christmas, MLK, PDW), which resorts make a bundle from.

Many of those, "I could take it or leave it" skiers & snowboarders I think may just skip this season entirely rather than be burdened with all the rules & annoyances.

 

[thetrailboss]

colorado-ski-industry-leaders-offer-hints-of-what-winter-during-covid-19-could-look-like


https://www.outtherecolorado.com/ne...html?utm_source=OneSignalPush&utm_medium=push

So basically no parties and large crowds and "something" regarding loading lifts, but it remains to be seen what "it" is.....

 

[Edd]

I just heard that the Epic Pass is only taking deposits, not selling passes. I was holding off buying for another week. Can anyone confirm? I just tried to do the pass buying process online and got an error message that said to phone in. Doesn’t look good.

Edit: Appears to be a false alarm? I called after the website gave an error message when attempting to purchase a pass. The woman I spoke to knew nothing about limiting sales. I put a deposit on an Epic Veteran Pass but there was an option to purchase in full.

Her info about using a coupon from cutting the season short from last year was waaaay more than what I had. Seems like things are a bit disorganized over there. If I’m to believe her, I’m paying maybe $320 for this pass (regular price $559), but that sounds very weird.

 

[bizarrefaith]

I'm still waiting to see someone address lessons and seasonal junior programs. If the seasonal programs aren't running, it probably isn't worth it for my family, regardless of if the mountain is open because my kids are different ages and very different levels of experience, so without the programs where they can both ski with peers at their own age and levels, we'd probably stick to much fewer day trips rather than season passes and seasonal rental.

 

[catskillman]

Had to take my son to the local urgent care for a COVID test for him to go to college. In front of us was a guy who had just returned from RI from a business trip whose employer told him he needed to get a test to return to work. When the nurse informed him that he needed to immediately go home and quarantine for the next 2 weeks I thought he would hit the ceiling. I guess the employer didn't tell him that would be the case.

Most people have no clue about restrictions or rules and don't care until something like that happens. Ignorance and selfishness abound!

did he opt for this school? You do not need to answer, I am curious as I am very familiar with this school - 30 + years ago....

 

[kbroderick]

I'm still waiting to see someone address lessons and seasonal junior programs. If the seasonal programs aren't running, it probably isn't worth it for my family, regardless of if the mountain is open because my kids are different ages and very different levels of experience, so without the programs where they can both ski with peers at their own age and levels, we'd probably stick to much fewer day trips rather than season passes and seasonal rental.

I have no direct insight into lessons or seasonal ski school programs, but I know of several race programs that are working on operational plans that allow for training while maintaining necessary anti-Covid measures, and I'd assume most are. It may be worth reaching out to the mountain in question directly, although I wouldn't expect a definitive answer quickly.

 

[bizarrefaith]

I have no direct insight into lessons or seasonal ski school programs, but I know of several race programs that are working on operational plans that allow for training while maintaining necessary anti-Covid measures, and I'd assume most are. It may be worth reaching out to the mountain in question directly, although I wouldn't expect a definitive answer quickly.

I think it's still really too early to have any answers, just curious how mountains are looking at it if they are and none of these high level interviews or statements have even really mentioned them so I'm just sort of thinking out loud as my kids mention it at least once per week.

The kids only go inside a 2-3 times a day for lunch and warm up breaks on very cold days, and the ski school has its own separate building that already had limited access so I'm hoping they can make it work, but if mountains are limiting capacity, that might interfere with it and liability concerns could also kill the programs.

My kids have been in summer (day) camp and they have done a good job enforcing masks and social distancing, requiring daily health checks, and more in depth pre-camp screenings for new campers but will mountains be willing or able to do that? A week of camp costs a lot more than a seasonal program, and the kids are there every day rather than kids just coming in on weekends...

 

[thetrailboss]

I'm still waiting to see someone address lessons and seasonal junior programs. If the seasonal programs aren't running, it probably isn't worth it for my family, regardless of if the mountain is open because my kids are different ages and very different levels of experience, so without the programs where they can both ski with peers at their own age and levels, we'd probably stick to much fewer day trips rather than season passes and seasonal rental.

Good question.

 

[JimG.]

I'm not quite sure I understand why she told him that. RI isn't on NY's list of restricted states.

My bad...Delaware was the state in question, not RI.

 

[JimG.]

did he opt for this school? You do not need to answer, I am curious as I am very familiar with this school - 30 + years ago....

Don't remember if I mentioned where James is going but it's Alfred University in Alfred NY and it is his first choice among the colleges he applied to.

 

[cdskier]

My bad...Delaware was the state in question, not RI.

Ahhh...that makes a lot more sense and shouldn't have been a surprise to him.

 

[JimG.]

Ahhh...that makes a lot more sense and shouldn't have been a surprise to him.

His surprised reaction really amazed me...he had no idea there were restrictions regarding leaving NY and then returning. He had no idea Delaware was on the restriction list. Maybe I'm just unusually tuned into this topic because of skiing and making season pass arrangements but the general cluelessness of the general public once again astounds me.

 

[catskillman]

Don't remember if I mentioned where James is going but it's Alfred University in Alfred NY and it is his first choice among the colleges he applied to.

Wise choice between the 2 !